For the Health of It

Resorts Offer Total Fitness Retreats

By Sarah M. Cutler

October 15, 2009

During the early part of the 20th century, vacationing meant an occasion for self-improvement. It wasn’t the kind of self-improvement today’s readers can find in the self-help section at the nearest book store. Instead, the escape included experts guiding and teaching the ways of deep relaxation, healthy eating and getting the most from exercise. Though many modern-day vacationers view their getaways as a time to loaf on the beach or play hard, the health-focused vacation is growing, and Utah resorts are responding.
A Push to Get Moving
Exercise doesn’t have to be painful. In fact, Real Life Fitness and Health Resort makes working out a sweat easy and fun. The Sandy-based resort’s boot camp program focuses on helping patrons find a way to be healthy that works for their unique circumstances. The daily routine includes five to eight hours of exercise, but the company mixes up the workout so it seems more like play. And after all that hard work, a weekly massage is thrown into the routine, along with a happier, healthier body.
The 14,000-square-foot resort, accommodates up to 12 people at a time. Upon arrival, guests receive a new pair of sneakers. Guests are also privy to state-of-the-art meals, where healthy nutrition and proper food portions are front and center.
Working closely with the University of Utah’s nutritional department, the resort also provides guests advice and the latest nutritional research. Whether staying for weight loss or just to get your body moving, the resort plans individualized nutrition and workouts. The resort also makes sure its guests can incorporate the healthy lifestyle learned during their stay into their daily, at-home schedules.
“Every day is a new day,” says Christina Arpante, program manager at the resort. “We work to give our clients the best opportunities possible.” The resort’s clientele have a wide variety of goals and needs from increasing endurance to losing weight to learning a healthier lifestyle.
“Whatever the reason, each individual wants to see personal goals that have been suppressed and thought unachievable come to fruition,” she says.
For the Body and Mind
Sit back, relax and enjoy a morning hike, afternoon meditation and evening yoga at Green Valley Spa and Health Resort. If you’re seeking more action, the St. George-based resort has plenty to get your heart racing. Surrounded by 10,000 roses and the area’s natural red rock, the resort offers packages focused on weight loss (using the HCG diet), wellness programs for stress reduction, medical and counseling services, and plenty of cardio.
Coping with work and everyday life can affect physical and mental performance, but is often overlooked. Green Valley Spa and Health Resort promotes inner relaxation with workshops on meditation, nutrition and dealing with emotional strain. But beyond these workshops, a staff of doctors, psychologists, therapists, fitness instructors, acupuncturists, chiropractors, chefs, nutritionists and life coaches design specific programs to address whatever your body or soul is after.
“Guests come with many purposes in mind,” says Randy Hansen of Green Valley Spa and Health Resort. “Yet the overall goal is basically the same: to find a respite from the world, relax, strengthen and heal.” Life and business can be tough. Taking a week or two or even a month off to celebrate personal improvement is worth considering.
One resort guest lost 30 percent of his body fat. He left 30 inches and 18 pounds lighter than when he arrived. “How can I thank you and the staff at Green Valley for helping me improve my health and my life?” he wrote in a letter to Hanson. “I am leaving today feeling like a new person.”